Hoisting tackle



Sept. 24, 1929. F. H. EMERY HOISTING TACKLE Filed June 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 24, 1929 PATENT FFICE FREDERIC H. EMERY, OF VLMNGTON, MASSACIEIUSETTS HOIS'E'NG TACKLE Application ed. June 23, 1923.

This invention relates to means for hoisting, transporting and depositing heavy loads such as boxed carboys containing sulphuric acid or other liquid, the object being to provide a tackle which, when combined with a hoisting rope suspended from and operable by a single-drum crane on a motor vehicle, is adapted to be automatically engaged with a load resting on the ground, hoisted with the load, transported to a delivering point over a platform car or other support, deposited on said support, and automatically disengaged from the load, the automatic engageability and disengageability enabling the tackle to i perform its function at a minimum. expense for labor.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificationf- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tackle embodying the invention, a porton of a hoisting rope and a load awaiting engagement by the tackle, the latter being disengaged.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same'.

Figs. 3 and 4l are views similar to Fig. 2 showing the tackle engaged with the load, the load being shown by Figure 3 resting on the ground and by Fig. 4; partially hoisted.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings 12, 12 designate opposed jaws movable toward and from each other like the jaws of a grab bucket, the jaws being preferably channel bars which, in this instance, are straight and adapted to engage opposite sides of a load constituted by a group of carboys encased in boxes 14, the units of the group being arranged as shown by the drawings to form a substantially cubical load or group which may include four boxed carboys.

It is common practice to provide cleats 15 on two opposite sides of a carboy box. Ehe jaws used in a carboy tackle are, therefore, arranged to bear on the cleated sides of the boxes constituting two opposite sides of the group, the jaws being immediately under the cleats Serial No. 287,822.

15, so that the cleats bear on the upper edges of the jaws.

16, 16 designate vertically movable bearings spaced above the jaws and above a load between the jaws. A shaft 17 is journaled in said bearings and extends parallel with the jaws. To the shaft is fixed a drum 18 and to the periphery of the drum is fixed one end of a hoisting rope 19, preferably of wire. The rope may be suspended from a single drum crane (not shown), such as the well known Fordson crane carried by a motor vehicle or truck, the crane having the usual means for pulling in and letting out the rope. A portion of the rope is wound in a suitable number of coils 19EL on the drum 1S, for a purpose hereinafter stated. j

20 designates a beam (preferably an I- beam) extending parallel with and above the shaft 17. The ends of the beam are provided with trunnions 21 on which are pivoted the upper ends o f oppositely inclined longer connecting rods 22, whose lower ends are pivoted on trunnions 23 fixed to the ends of the jaws 12. On the ends of the shaft 17 are'pivoted the upper ends of shorter connecting rods 24, whoselower ends are pivoted on the aw trunnions 23. There are two pairs of longer rods 22 and two pairs of shorter rods 24.

The shaft 17 is connected with the beam 2O by flexible tethers, preferably chains 25, attached at their upper ends to the beam and at their lower ends to the shaft, the arrangement being such that the rotation of the shaft in the bearings 16 winds lower portions of the chains on the periphery of the shaft, so that the effective length of the chains is reduced and the shaft is raised.

To the shaft is fixed a ratchet 27 with which a pawl 28 cooperates to prevent rotation of the ratchet, shaft, and drum. The pawl isk pivoted to a support movable with the bearings 16 and is engageable with the ratchet and manually movable to disengage it from the ratchet. A. pull cord 28a may be provided. to separate the pawl from the ratchet.

Interposed between the bearings 16 and the beam 20 are springs 29, preferably helical, fixed at their lower ends to the bearings, and at their upper ends to the beam.

Cil

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Feet 3() are fixed to and project downward from the shaft bearings 16, and are adapted to come to a bearing on the top of the load, as shown by Figure 3.

O pcratz'oa The tackle shown by Figures 1 and 2 in its open position, is assumed to be suspended by the hoisting rope from the drum of a single.

drum Fordson crane on a motor vehicle, the tackle being out of contact with the load, and the pawl 28 being engaged with the ratchet 27, so that the shaft- 17 and its drum 18 are held against rotation, the coils 19a of the hoisting rope being prevented by the pawl and ratchet from unwinding from, and causing the rotation ofthe drum. rllhe tackle thus conditioned, is located over the load, so that when it is lowered, its jaws are at opposite sides of the load and spaced therefrom, as shown by Figure 2. Thile the tackle is thus supported, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet. rEhe shaft 17 is thus permitted to rotate and the coils 19a of the hoisting rope, in unwinding from the drum 13, cause the rotation of the drinn and shaft. rlihe craneengaged end of the hoisting rope may be at the same time wound in on the crane drum as fast as its lower end formed by the coils 19 is unwound from the sha-ft drinn 13. The unwinding of the rope from the drum 13 causes thc winding of the chains 25 on the shaft 17, so that the distance between the shaft and the beam 20 is decreased and the springs 29 are compressed. The decrease of the distance between the shaft and the beam changes the angles of the connecting rods, as may be seen by comparing Figure 3 with Figure' 2, so that the jaws are moved toward each other and act like the jaws of a grab bucket.

The portion of the hoisting rope forming the coils 19a is sufficiently elongated to permit the jaws to come in contact with opposite sides vof the load, as shown by Figure 3, before the coils are entirely unwound from the drum 18.

When the jaws contact' with the load, the pawl 23 is again engaged with the ratchet, so that a continuation of the winding in of the hoisting rope on the crane drum first positively raises the tackle until the jaws engage the cleats 15, as shown by Figure 4, and then positively hoists the tackle and load to a sluitable height for transportation by the vehicle, which may now be caused to locate the load over a platform Vcar or other support. he tackle and load are then lowered by letting Y out the hoisting rope from the crane drinn.

rllhe letting out of the rope is continued after the load comes to rest on the platform, so that the feet `30, after coming to bearing on the load, vsupport the shaft bearings 15 against further downward movement, the bearings acting as fixed abutments for the lower ends of the springs 29,- which are now under compression, and are caused by the arrest of the downward movement of the bearings, to raise the beam 2O and restore the tackle to the open condition shown by Figure 2. The raising of the beam causes the chains 25 to unwind from the shaft 17, and rotate the shaft in the direction required to rewind the coils 19a of the hoisting rope on the shaft drum, thus completing the cycle of operation, the tackle being now prepared for a repetition of the operation.

lt will now be seen that the described operation is automatic, with the exception of the engagement and disengagement of the pawl with and from the ratchet, and the control of the means associated with the crane for winding in and letting out the hoisting rope.

lt will be seen that the tackle is adapted to be operated entirely by one operator, who may be the driver of a truck carrying the crane, so that my invention is adapted to effect a marked saving in the cost of handling and transporting heavy loads, such as groups of carboys, each weighing several hundred pounds, it being feasible to handle as many as four carboys at a time.

rlChe springs 29 are adjusted to the least compression necessary to open the jaws when the weight of the shaft 17 is supported bythe bearing of the feet 30 on the load.

The bearings 16 are provided with bases 35 to which are fixed vertical guide rods 36, the upper ends of which are slidable in flanges 37 on the beam 20, provision being thus made for guiding the bearings in their vertical movements. The pawl 28 may be pivoted to one of the guide rods 36, as shown by Figure 5.

A guide member 38, preferably a roller, is supported by ears 39 iXed to the beam 20, the hoisting rope 19 passing between and being guided by the beam and roller.

ldlhen the load is a group of boxed carboys and is being hoisted, the jaws pinch together the lower ends of the carboy boxes, and the cleats 15 on the meeting sides of the boxes, so that the sides of the boxes on which the jaws vbear are oppositely inclined outwardly from the lower ends, as shown by Figure 4t. The jaw trunnions 13 are fixedto the lower edges of the jaws as shown by Figure 1, each jaw being therefore adapted to swing sidewise on an axis below its lower edge to conform its inner side to the inclined surfaces of the carboy boxes.

To ,yieldingly limit the sidew-ise swinging of the jaws, I connect the upper edge portions of the jaws with the connecting rods 22, by springs 4t() constituting' elastic means normally maintaining the inner sides of the jaws substantially Vertical, and permitting va sufficient inclination thereof.

It is obvious that the form of the jaws may lll be modified to permit their engagement with loads otherwise constituted.

I claim:

l. A load-engaging and releasing tackle supported and vertically movable by a. hoisting rope, and comprising a shaft having a ratchet and a drum on which coils of the hoisting rope are wound; movable bearings in which the shaft is journaled; a pawl mounted on a support movable with the bearings, and adapted to be manually engaged with, and disengaged from the ratchet; a

beam located above the shaft; connectingrods arranged in pairs and pivoted to the ende i5 of the beam, the ends of the shaft and the ends of the jaws; feet line-d to the bearings and arr 'ed to bear on a load between the jaws, sp1 ugs interposed between the shaft bearings and the beam, and flexible tcthers connecting the shaft with the beam and adapted to be partially wound on the shaft by the rotation thereof, to decrease the distance between the shaft and beam, the arrangement being such that the jaws are held open and the tackle positively supported by the rope when the pawl is engaged with the ratchet, so that the tackle may be lowered by the rope to locate the Opened jaws in position to be closed on a load between them, the lowered jaws are closed on the load by the unwinding of the hoisting rope coils from the shaft when the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet, and when the pawl is again engaged with the ratchet, the tackle and load may be hoisted by the rope for transportation, and lowered by the rope to deposit the load, the feet being arranged to bear on the deposited load before the lowering of the hoisting rope ceases, and thereby cause the compression of the springs, the separation of the aws vtrom the load by the expansion of the coinpressed springs, and the rewinding of coils o' the hoisting rope on the sha'lt drum.

2. A load-engaging tackle as specilied by ci aim l, the beam and the movable bearings being providedL with means for vertically guiding said bearings.

3. A load-eno'aging tackle as specified by claim l, the jaws being provided with end trunnions on which the connecting rods are pivoted, said trunnions being arranged below the jaws, so that the jaws may be inclined, means being provided for yieldingly maintaining the jaws in predetermined positions -5 relative to the connecting-rods, and permitting the inclination of the jaws from said positions.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

ce FREDERIC H. EMERY. 

